Civilian Casualties

Civilian Casualties

Incident Code

CS831

Incident date

May 16, 2017

Location

الخياله البهاديل, Al Khayala Al Bahadil, Raqqa, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilian males were reportedly killed in alleged Coalition airstrikes in Al Khayala al Bahadil village to the west of Raqqa.

One Facebook user Alla Adin Adin named one of the victim as Faisal al Mohammed al Ahmad and Sharqiya Voice named the other as Agha Anwar al Borsan.

Several people were also injured in the strikes according to a number of sources.

Four out of five sources alleged that the Coalition was responsible, meanwhile the fifth did not say who they believed was to blame.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Faisal al Mohammed al Ahmad
Age unknown killed
Agha Anwar al Borsan
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Al Khayala, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Mar 28, 2018
  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For May 15th-16th the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, eight strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units; destroyed four vehicles, two fighting positions, two VBIEDs, a front-end loader and a supply cache; and damaged an ISIS supply route.” It was later also noted that “Additionally, one strike was conducted in Syria on May 15th that closed within the last 24 hours. Near Raqqah, one strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters.”
For May 16th-17th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed five vehicles, two VBIEDs, two mortar systems, and an ISIS storage facility; and damaged an ISIS bridge.” The Coalition also additionally reported that on May 16th “Near Raqqah, one strike damaged an ISIS supply route,” and that “Near Raqqah, Syria, on May 16th, one strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed six ISIS-held buildings, four ISIS tunnels, two fighting positons, and one tactical vehicle.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition

Sources (5) [ collapse]